Advancing Accountable Governance and Participatory Democracy in Thailand (2026)

Restricted action grant under the EU Human Rights and Democracy programme to strengthen accountable governance and participatory democracy in Thailand with an indicative total budget of €1,000,000 and a fixed grant size of €500,000. Eligible lead applicants are non-profit civil society organisations established in EU Member States, Thailand or other eligible countries, actions must be implemented in Thailand over 24 to 36 months and must include financial support to third-party Thai CSOs (maximum €60,000 per third party). This is a two-stage restricted call requiring a concept note submitted via PROSPECT with mandatory PADOR registration by 18 May 2026 23:59 Brussels time and shortlisted applicants will be invited to submit full applications. The EU contribution covers 80 to 90 percent of eligible costs and applications must comply with PRAG rules, robust MEL, gender mainstreaming and SEA-H safeguards.

Call type and objective

What the grant funds

Action grants to strengthen democratic governance, participatory democracy and protection of fundamental rights in Thailand. Priority areas include expanding civic space and inclusive participation (youth, women, marginalised groups), rule of law and judicial independence, labour and environmental rights, protection of human rights defenders, freedom of expression and digital rights, and related advocacy, capacity building, monitoring, research and multi-stakeholder dialogue.

Total budget and grant size:Indicative budget €1 000 000. Individual grants must be €500 000 (minimum) to €500 000 (maximum). EU co-financing: 80% to 90% of eligible costs. ¹

1. 1Geography: actions must take place in Thailand
2. 2Duration: 24 to 36 months
3. 3Form: reimbursement of eligible costs (with specific rules) and possible financing not linked to costs components

Who can apply

Restricted two-stage call. Eligible lead applicants:non-profit Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) established in an EU Member State, in Thailand or elsewhere, directly responsible for preparation and management of the action. International organisations are not eligible as lead applicants or co-applicants. Co-applicants should be Thai CSOs; affiliated entities are allowed under defined structural link conditions.

Key administrative points

This is a restricted call:submit a concept note first (Annex A.1); pre-selected lead applicants will be invited to submit full applications (Annex A.2). Online registration in PADOR and online submission via PROSPECT are mandatory. An information session is scheduled (21 April 2026). Deadline for concept notes: 18 May 2026 23:59 Brussels time.

1. 1Deadline (concept note): 18 May 2026, 23:59 Brussels time
2. 2Submission systems: PADOR registration (obligatory) and PROSPECT online submission
3. 3Selection: two-step evaluation (concept note scoring then full application), minimum concept-note score for pre-selection 30/50

Eligibility checks, self-evaluation on SEA-H for grants over €60 000, expenditure verification/audit and strong MEL/logframe requirements apply. Financial support to third parties (sub-grants) is allowed (max €60 000 per third party) but must be justified and linked to capacity building. Contracts will follow PRAG rules and EU visibility requirements.

Footnotes

1. 1Full guidelines, application forms and annexes available on the F&T Portal: Call documentation.

Reference:EuropeAid. Contracting authority: European Commission (DG International Partnerships / EU Delegation to Thailand). Call type: Restricted call for proposals (two-stage: concept note then invited full application). Action type: Action grants under the Human rights and democracy programme. Geographical zone: Thailand. Publication date: 02/04/2026. Deadline for submission of concept notes: 18/05/2026 23:59 Brussels time. Total indicative budget: €1,000,000. Grant size per award: fixed at €500,000 (minimum €500,000 and maximum €500,000). EU contribution rate: between 80% and 90% of total eligible costs. Project duration: minimum 24 months, maximum 36 months. Online systems: PADOR registration mandatory; applications must be submitted via PROSPECT. Information session: virtual on 21 April 2026 (Thailand local time). Documents published: Guidelines for applicants, Annexes A1/A2 (concept and full application), Annex B (budget), Annex C (logframe), Annex G (standard grant contract) and others.

Objectives, Priorities and Thematic Focus

Global objective:Contribute to the promotion and protection of human rights and democracy in Thailand, with emphasis on strengthening democratic governance, inclusive participation and the rule of law, and promoting the well-being and dignity of vulnerable and marginalised groups. Specific objective: Strengthen democratic governance and promote realisation of fundamental rights in Thailand. Priorities (applicants may address one or both): (1) Promotion of democratic governance and inclusive participation: expand democratic space, empower youth, women, marginalised groups, safeguard freedom of expression and assembly (online and offline), protect human rights defenders, support legislative/legal framework improvements, support judicial independence and access to remedies, protect non-refoulement, promote women and youth engagement. (2) Promotion and protection of fundamental rights: environmental governance and rights to a healthy environment; labour rights, decent work and business and human rights (including National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights NAP2); women's rights; impacts of new technologies (AI surveillance, digital safety and privacy); preparation of inputs for Thailand's UPR 4th cycle; implementation of other national action plans (e.g., Women, Peace and Security).

Eligible Applicants and Partnerships

Lead applicant:a legal person, non-profit-making Civil Society Organisation (CSO). Lead applicants must be effectively established in an EU Member State, Thailand or any other country. International organisations are explicitly ineligible as lead applicants or co-applicants. The lead applicant may act alone or with co-applicant(s). Co-applicants: CSOs legally established in Thailand may participate as co-applicants and must satisfy the same eligibility criteria as the lead applicant; co-applicants must sign the mandate in Annex A.2 section 5. Affiliated entities: permitted where a structural link exists (control or membership) and must sign the affiliated entity statement. Associates, contractors and recipients of financial support (third parties) are defined separately with specific roles and restrictions. Each actor may participate in only one role (to avoid conflicts of interest). The lead applicant may submit more than one concept note but may be awarded only one grant as lead applicant under this call. Co-applicants/affiliated entities may appear in multiple applications.

Eligible Applicant Types:Civil society organisations (non-profit legal persons) as lead applicants; CSOs legally established in Thailand as co-applicants; affiliated entities with structural link as defined in the guidelines. International organisations are not eligible as applicants or co-applicants.

Action Types, Activities and Geographic Scope

Location:Actions must take place in Thailand. Action duration: 24 to 36 months. Types of activities eligible (non-exhaustive): capacity building of local CSOs (technical, financial, management, fundraising), research and documentation (monitoring human rights abuses), community empowerment and networking, monitoring public services/policy implementation, media and journalist training, advocacy and policy dialogue, legal aid and support, stakeholder multi‑party dialogue (CSOs, government, business, academia), environmental governance and community rights, labour rights and decent work advocacy, support to national action plans (NAP2, Women, Peace and Security), addressing digitalisation and AI impacts on rights. Financial support to third parties (sub-grants) is mandatory to at least one Thai CSO; maximum €60,000 per third party. FSTP must be embedded within a robust capacity building package and selection/monitoring procedures must be defined in the full application.

Target Sectors / Themes:Human rights, democracy, rule of law, civic space, governance, environmental governance, labour rights and decent work, business and human rights, gender and women's rights, digital rights and AI impacts, capacity building for civil society, advocacy and policy dialogue.

Financial Details, Grant Form and Co-Financing

Total indicative allocation:€1,000,000. Individual grant amounts: fixed to €500,000 (min and max both €500,000). EU contribution covers 80% minimum and 90% maximum of total eligible costs. The balance must come from other sources (own funds, other donors) and may not be EU general budget or European Development Fund. The contracting authority reserves the right not to award all funds. Grants take the form of reimbursement of eligible costs (actual costs) and may combine financing not linked to costs if authorised in the call (standard rules apply). Indirect costs may be requested as a flat rate up to a maximum of 7% of estimated total direct eligible costs (excluding volunteers and project office costs). Contingency reserve up to 5% of estimated direct eligible costs may be included but used only with prior written authorisation.

Funding Type:Action Grants — reimbursement of eligible costs (cost-based); financing not linked to costs rules may apply where explicitly used (see Annex I/III in contract).

Funding Amount / Range:Any grant requested under this call must be €500,000 (minimum and maximum). Total call budget €1,000,000.

Application Process, Timetable and Submission

This is a restricted two-stage call. Stage 1:Submit a concept note using Annex A.1 (Concept note form) via PROSPECT. Only the concept note will be evaluated at stage 1. Concept notes must be in English and follow page and format limits (description max 2 pages, relevance max 3 pages, specified fonts/margins). Stage 2: Applicants whose concept notes are pre-selected will be invited to submit a full application (Annex A.2 Full application form), full budget (Annex B), logical framework (Annex C) and requested supporting documents (statutes, accounts, declaration on honour, PADOR registration, audit report or self-declaration depending on amounts). Submission systems: PADOR registration (EuropeAid ID required) and PROSPECT for online submission are mandatory. Deadlines: concept note deadline 18/05/2026 23:59 Brussels time; invitation to submit full application expected June 2026; full application deadline indicated in invitation (anticipate August 2026). Indicative decision/contracting timetable: notification September 2026; contract signature December 2026. Applicants must register in the European Commission Participant Register (PIC) as well.

Consortium Requirement:Single lead applicant may act alone or with co-applicant(s). Consortium not mandatory but partnership with Thai CSOs (co-applicants) is strongly emphasised and assessed under implementation approach. Affiliated entities permitted under clear structural link definitions.

Application Type:Restricted call, two-stage process: open call for concept notes within restricted conditions; applicants submit concept notes via PROSPECT; only shortlisted lead applicants are invited to submit full applications.

Eligibility, Exclusions and Ethics

Eligibility checks:threefold — eligibility of applicants (lead, co-applicants), eligibility of actions, eligibility of costs/results/conditions. Lead applicant must be a non-profit CSO legal person, directly responsible (not intermediary), established in EU Member State, Thailand or any other country. Co-applicants must be CSOs established in Thailand if included. International organisations are excluded as applicants or co-applicants. Applicants and affiliated entities must not be in exclusion situations (criminal convictions, bankruptcy, fraud, corruption, being subject to EU restrictive measures, etc.). Successful applicants must complete a Declaration on Honour (Annex H) and, for grants above €60,000, complete the SEA-H self-evaluation questionnaire (Annex L). The contracting authority applies zero tolerance on sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment, and anti-corruption rules. Applicants must respect EU values and environmental and core labour standards (ILO conventions). Unusual commercial expenses, conflicts of interest, fraud or major irregularities may lead to rejection, recovery and exclusion measures.

Co-funding Requirement:Yes. Beneficiaries must finance the balance of total eligible costs from non-EU general budget sources. EU contribution covers 80–90%; applicants must demonstrate additional funding sources (own funds, other donors) to reach total eligible costs.

Evaluation, Selection Criteria and Scoring

Evaluation is in three steps:Step 1 administrative checks and concept note evaluation (concept notes scored out of 50; minimum 30 required for pre-selection; ranking used and pre-selection until requested contribution equals at least 200% of available budget). Step 2 evaluation of full applications (award and selection criteria, scored out of 100; Section 1 financial and operational capacity threshold: minimum 12/20 or rejection; other quality criteria include relevance, design, implementation approach, sustainability, budget and cost-effectiveness). Step 3 verification of eligibility based on supporting documents for provisionally selected applicants (including legal statutes, bank details, audit reports where applicable). Award decision made after verification; reserve list created. Evaluation grids with detailed sub-criteria and score ranges provided in the guidelines.

Application Stages and Number of Stages:Two main stages: 1) Concept note submission and evaluation (administrative checks and scoring). 2) Invitation to submit full application for shortlisted applicants; evaluation of full application, provisional selection, eligibility verification and contract award. There are administrative checks, full evaluation and final eligibility verification — effectively 3 procedural steps but two applicant submission stages.

Success Rates:Not explicitly provided. The guidelines explain that pre-selection will include concept notes up to at least 200% of available budget, so roughly half of pre-selected requested funding would be funded at final stage; actual success rates depend on quality and number of submissions. Historically, restricted calls with small budgets and fixed grant sizes have competitive success rates; applicants should assume low to moderate success probability and ensure high-quality concept notes meeting the thresholds.

Budget, Eligible Costs and Financial Management

Total grant per awarded action:€500,000. Eligible costs: actual direct costs (staff salaries, travel/subsistence, equipment purchase or depreciation, consumables, service contracts, dissemination, audits, contractual expenditure verification, evaluation costs), project office costs if explicitly authorised, duties/taxes not recoverable, costs for FSTP (financial support to third parties). Indirect costs: flat-rate up to 7% of direct eligible costs (excluding volunteers and project office costs). Contingency reserve up to 5% may be included but used only with prior authorisation. Ineligible costs include debts and interest, provisions for losses, duplicate EU‑funded costs, purchases of land/buildings except in narrow circumstances, currency exchange losses, in-kind contributions (except volunteers’ work where allowed), salary costs of national administrations, bonuses included in staff costs, negative bank interest, credits to third parties, microcredit activities, actions supporting political parties, proselytising, and activities contrary to EU values.

Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP):The action must foreseen financial support to third parties (sub-grants) to at least one Thai CSO. Maximum per third party: €60,000. FSTP cannot be the main purpose of the action; it must be accompanied by a robust capacity-building package. The applicant must define objectives, eligible activities, recipient categories, selection criteria, monitoring, M&E and required supporting documents; transparency, equal treatment and conflict-of-interest prevention are mandatory. Selection mechanisms and monitoring must be detailed in Section 2.1.1 of Annex A.2 (Full application).

Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Visibility

Monitoring:EU OPSYS online system for progress monitoring; applicants must use logframe indicators aligned with EU corporate indicators and GERF where possible (GERF 2.28, 2.29, 2.30, 2.25 etc.), SDG indicators, gender and other sector-specific indicators. MEL plan: applicants must include robust MEL plan and adequate budget, independent final evaluation by external consultant (budgeted). Reporting: interim and final narrative and financial reports using Annex VI templates; contractual expenditure verification required for grants > €100,000 (practitioner approved by contracting authority) and for grants >= €5,000,000 alongside interim reports. For financing not linked to costs components, third-party assessment validating results is required above thresholds. Visibility: display EU emblem and funding statement according to Communication and Visibility Requirements for EU External Actions; derogations possible in sensitive contexts with contracting authority agreement.

Nature of Support:Monetary: grant funding (reimbursement of eligible costs). Non-monetary: capacity-building, training, networking, policy dialogue facilitation, platform access, visibility support. Financial support to third parties (sub-grants) included as a monetary instrument for grassroots CSOs.

Administrative, Legal and Contractual Requirements

Mandatory registrations:PADOR registration at concept note step (EuropeAid ID), Participant Register / PIC recommended; PROSPECT submission mandatory. Supporting documents required at full application: statutes/articles of association, declaration on honour (Annex H), lead applicant latest accounts and possibly audit report (for action grants exceeding €750,000; for this call the grant is €500,000 so audit report triggered by threshold rules may not apply unless first application in a financial year), self-declaration certifying validity of accounts or audit report where applicable. If impossible to register in PADOR for technical or security reasons, the offline PADOR registration form (Annex F) must be submitted with the full application. The coordinator becomes the single interlocutor for the contracting authority and is financially responsible for the action and distribution to co-beneficiaries.

Contract and Grant Conditions:If selected, contracts are concluded using the standard grant contract (Annex G). Grants take the form of reimbursement of actual costs; simplified cost options and financing not linked to costs rules are detailed in Annex II and Annex I/III. Financial guarantees may be requested for pre-financing when grant exceeds €60,000 except for non-profit organisations, framework partners, government departments or public bodies unless otherwise specified. Audit, record-keeping and on-site check provisions apply; beneficiaries must respect EU restrictive measures and the conditionality regime (Regulation 2020/2092) and may be subject to checks by OLAF, EPPO, ECA and internal auditors.

Key Requirements Applicants Must Demonstrate in Applications

1. 1Clear relevance to the call objectives and priorities, and to the needs of target groups and country context (alignment with Section 1.2 priorities).
2. 2Strong partnership and local ownership: demonstrable equitable partnership with Thai CSOs; Thai CSOs should be involved at all project stages; quality of partnership is assessed under Implementation Approach.
3. 3Robust intervention logic and sound results chain (activities -> outputs -> outcomes -> impact) with SMART, disaggregated and RACER indicators in the logframe (Annex C).
4. 4Comprehensive MEL plan and realistic budget for monitoring, mid-term and final evaluations and contractual expenditure verification where applicable.
5. 5Risk analysis and mitigation measures (political, security, environmental, SEA-H risks) and contingency plans.
6. 6Detailed budget justified in Annex B, with clear cost allocation for FSTP and capacity building for third parties.
7. 7Transparent procedures for FSTP (selection, eligibility, monitoring, maximum amounts, documentation) and safeguarding measures.
8. 8Adherence to cross-cutting principles: human rights-based approach (HRBA), gender equality (GAP III and CLIP), conflict sensitivity, environmental considerations, inclusion of vulnerable and marginalised groups and SEA-H prevention and response mechanisms.

Templates and Application Forms

Annexes provided as templates that applicants must use without alteration:Annex A.1 Concept note template (includes summary, description up to 2 pages, relevance up to 3 pages, lead applicant and partners details, project details table). Annex A.2 Full application template (detailed description up to 18 pages, methodology, action plan, sustainability, logical framework, budget worksheets Annex B in Excel, Annex C logical framework Excel, Annex F PADOR offline registration form if required, Annex H Declaration on honour, Annex L SEA-H self-evaluation questionnaire and list of measures). Annex B budget worksheets include 1a cost-based, justification worksheet (2), and expected sources of funding worksheet (3); Annex C logframe and activities matrix templates must be completed. Annex G standard grant contract and Annex II general conditions give contractual obligations and eligibility of costs guidance. Annex IX transfer of ownership template for assets. Annex V request for payment template, Annex VI interim and final narrative report templates. Applicants must follow formatting rules: font Arial 10, margins 2 cm, page limits as indicated. The concept note will be the sole basis for pre-selection evaluation; no additional annexes should be sent with concept note stage.

Templates: Structure and Key Sections to Prepare:Concept note (Annex A.1): cover page, summary table (objectives, beneficiaries, outputs, main activities, target groups), 2-page description addressing background, objectives, stakeholders, intervention logic, main activities and timeframe, 3-page relevance section (links to call priorities, country needs, target groups, added value), lead applicant and partner details. Full application (Annex A.2): detailed description (max 18 pages) including context, relevance, intervention logic, detailed activities clustered by outputs, methodology (max 5 pages), a 4-page indicative action plan with months, sustainability (max 3 pages), complete logical framework (Annex C), full budget (Annex B) with justification (worksheet 2), PADOR form, selection and operational capacity evidence (experience tables), mandates for co-applicants and affiliated entity statements. Budget worksheets require unit breakdown, justification of HR, travel, equipment, project office, other costs, indirect costs calculation and expected funding sources table.

Maturity & Project Stage Expected

Expected project maturity:implementation-ready interventions with clear local ownership; actions should be at development, demonstration, implementation and consolidation stage (practical programme delivery, capacity building and policy engagement rather than pure research or ideation). Projects must have defined activities, partners, and feasibility justification; applicants should demonstrate prior experience managing similar-scale actions and financial stability.

Project Stage:Development / implementation / validation of civil society-led governance and human rights actions, capacity building and advocacy programmes; not purely early-stage research or individual scholarships.

Success Rate, Risk and Common Reasons for Rejection

Success rate:not published. Selection process will shortlist concept notes scoring at least 30/50 and then reduce to proposals up to at least 200% of available budget for invitation to full application. Common reasons for rejection: non-compliant or incomplete concept notes, failure to meet eligibility criteria (organisation type, establishment, PADOR registration), low scores on relevance or design, weak partnership or lack of Thai CSO involvement, unrealistic budgets or ineligible costs, failure to submit requested supporting documents at full application, conflict of interest or exclusion situations, inadequate MEL or risk mitigation, absence of SEA-H measures where relevant, or non-alignment with call priorities.

Practical Next Steps for Applicants

1. 1Register lead organisation in PADOR and obtain EuropeAid ID; register in Participant Register (PIC) where requested and ensure statutory documents and accounts are available for upload.
2. 2Prepare concept note using Annex A.1 format; strictly respect page limits, font and margin rules; ensure English language submission.
3. 3Design intervention aligned to one or both thematic priorities, demonstrate Thai CSO leadership/local ownership, define FSTP approach, selection criteria and capacity-building package for third parties.
4. 4Prepare relevant documents in advance: statutes/articles of association, proof of financial capacity (accounts, audit report or self-declaration), declaration on honour (Annex H), SEA-H self-evaluation materials (Annex L) as required.
5. 5Submit concept note via PROSPECT by 18/05/2026 23:59 Brussels time; keep documentation for possible full application and eligibility verification.
6. 6If invited to full application, follow Annex A.2 structure and submit full budget (Annex B) and logframe (Annex C) in PROSPECT by the deadline indicated in the invitation.

Contact and IT support:technical questions about PROSPECT and PADOR to ec-external-relations-application-support@ec.europa.eu (English/French/Spanish). Specific call queries by email no later than 21 days before the concept note deadline to DELEGATION-THAILAND-REGIONAL-CALL-FOR-PROPOSALS@eeas.europa.eu. Answers will be published on the DG International Partnerships and F&T Portal websites to ensure equal treatment. An online information session will be held on 21 April 2026; register by emailing the above address by 10 April 2026 to participate.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):Thailand (actions must be implemented in Thailand). Lead applicants may be established in EU Member States, Thailand or any other country.

Mentioned Countries:Thailand (explicit). EU Member States and any country for lead applicant establishment are referenced in eligibility. Systems involve EU institutions (DG INTPA, DG NEAR, FPI) and European Commission.

Summary: What This Opportunity Is About and Why It Matters

This restricted call for proposals finances two projects of €500,000 each (total indicative call budget €1,000,000) to strengthen accountable governance and participatory democracy in Thailand by supporting civil society actions that advance human rights, democratic participation, rule of law, protection of marginalised groups and improved environmental and labour governance. The call is implemented by the European Commission under the Human Rights and Democracy thematic programme and aligns with the EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy 2020–2027 and the Global Gateway initiative. The call strongly emphasises local ownership through Thai CSO participation, capacity building and financial support to third parties (sub-grants), requires robust MEL, gender mainstreaming, conflict sensitivity and SEA-H mitigation, and mandates compliance with EU values and anti-corruption safeguards. Applicants must register in PADOR and submit a concept note via PROSPECT by the deadline; shortlisted applicants will be invited to submit full applications with comprehensive budgets, logframes and supporting documents. The action is a highly regulated EU external action grant with detailed contractual, reporting, audit and visibility obligations and rigorous eligibility and evaluation criteria. This funding is intended for experienced CSOs able to implement multi-year programmes in Thailand that combine grassroots capacity strengthening with advocacy, monitoring and policy engagement to expand democratic space and protect fundamental rights, including support to marginalised communities.

For full application procedures, templates and contractual terms consult the official call documentation (Guidelines for grant applicants, Annex A.1 and A.2, Annex B, Annex C, Annex G standard contract) and prepare to follow PRAG and Operational Guidelines for EU external actions. Detailed references, templates and legal provisions are provided in the published annexes available on the Funding & Tenders Portal and DG International Partnerships pages. ¹

Footnotes

1. 1Official call documents, templates and the standard grant contract are published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal and DG International Partnerships website and were the source for this summary. See the call prospect on the F&T Portal.

This is a restricted action grant under the EU Human Rights and Democracy programme targeting Thailand, with an indicative budget of €1,000,000. The call seeks to promote democratic governance, inclusive participation, and fundamental rights protection, addressing challenges such as shrinking civic space and constraints on civil society organisations (CSOs) in Thailand.

Objectives and Priorities

Global objective:Contribute to the promotion and protection of human rights and democracy in Thailand, focusing on strengthening democratic governance, inclusive participation, and the rule of law, particularly for vulnerable and marginalised groups.

Specific objective:Strengthen democratic governance and promote the realisation of fundamental rights in Thailand.

Priority Areas

• Promotion of democratic governance and inclusive participation: Expanding democratic space, empowering youth, women, and marginalised groups; strengthening judicial independence; safeguarding freedoms of expression and assembly; protecting human rights defenders; supporting legislative reforms; protecting vulnerable groups (e.g., LGBTQ+, stateless persons, indigenous peoples); promoting women and youth engagement.
• Promotion and protection of fundamental rights: Environmental governance; labour rights, decent work, and business/human rights; women's rights; impact of new technologies on human rights (e.g., AI surveillance, digital safety).

Actions may cover one or both priorities and must integrate cross-cutting elements:Human Rights Based Approach (HRBA), EU Gender Action Plan III (GAP III), democratic governance, SDGs (e.g., 5, 8, 10, 16), empowerment of vulnerable groups, conflict sensitivity, environmental issues, sustainable partnerships with Thai CSOs and state actors, local ownership.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible Applicants

• Lead applicant: Legal person, non-profit, Civil Society Organisation (CSO), established in EU Member State, Thailand, or other eligible countries; directly responsible for action preparation/management.
• Co-applicant(s): CSOs legally established in Thailand (optional).
• Affiliated entities: Limited to those with structural links (control or membership) to lead/co-applicants.
• International organisations ineligible as lead or co-applicant.

Eligible Actions

• Duration: 24-36 months.
• Location: Thailand.
• Types: Capacity building for CSOs; research/context analysis; networking; monitoring public services; state engagement; awareness/policy dialogue; multi-stakeholder dialogue.
• Mandatory: Financial support to third parties (FSTP) to at least one Thai CSO (max €60,000 per third party, not main purpose); robust capacity building component.
• Ineligible: Individual sponsorships/scholarships; one-off conferences; discrimination; micro-credit; capital expenditure; political parties; proselytising.

Financial Provisions

Total Budget:€1,000,000 (indicative; contracting authority may not award all funds).

Grant Size:Fixed at €500,000 per grant (min/max).

Funding Rate:80-90% of total eligible costs (balance from non-EU sources).

Form:Reimbursement of eligible costs. No-profit rule applies.

Application Procedure

Restricted call:Submit concept note first (Annex A1); pre-selected applicants invited for full application (Annex A2). Online via PROSPECT (mandatory); register in PADOR/Participant Register.

Key Dates:Published: 02/04/2026; Concept note deadline: 18/05/2026 (23:59 Brussels time); Virtual info session: 21/04/2026 (Thailand time). Full details in guidelines.

Evaluation

1. 1Step 1: Concept note (relevance/design, min 30/50 score; shortlist to 200% budget).
2. 2Step 2: Full application (financial/operational capacity, relevance, design, implementation, sustainability, budget; min 12/20 capacity).
3. 3Step 3: Eligibility verification/supporting documents.

Documents:Guidelines, Annexes A1/A2 (forms), B (budget), C (logframe), F (PADOR), G (contract), H (exclusion declaration), L (SEA-H questionnaire), J (tax info). All EN, 02/04/2026.

Key Requirements for Applicants

• Robust MEL plan with SMART, disaggregated indicators (GERF, SDGs, etc.); mid-term/final evaluations.
• Visibility: EU emblem/funding statement; comply with guidelines.
• Ethics: No conflicts; SEA-H policy (Annex L); zero tolerance; anti-corruption.
• Supporting docs (full app): Statutes, accounts, audit (if >€750K), exclusion declaration.

Indicative Timetable

Apply via EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Contact: DELEGATION-THAILAND-REGIONAL-CALL-FOR-PROPOSALS@eeas.europa.eu. Full guidelines: Guidelines.

Background Context

Thailand shows progress (e.g., Marriage Equality Act, anti-torture law, UN HRC election 2025-2026) but faces 'repressed' civic space (CIVICUS), 'Not Free' status (Freedom House 2025), press freedom challenges (RSF 2025). EU aligns with Action Plan on Human Rights/Democracy 2020-2027 and Global Gateway.

Footnotes

1. 1All details from official EU guidelines and portal. Dates in Brussels time; convert locally. PRAG applies: PRAG.